Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-25
territorial council, who was Mr.. Nagann,

turn the certificate to the secretary for
record.
Q H:s that act oeen tsken advantage
Of? A. Yes, they have tried that with bent-
acial results. The second act was legal
iz:ng mechanics liens on buildings, and
the third was an act relative to chat,el
mortgages, so that the people might OBJ
tain money, which have tried myself and
found successful. We could not borrow
on the land, because, OF course, we have
no titles. The fourth act was in refer
ence to opening and protecting public
highways and bridges.
LAWS BY THE PEOPLE.
2 Have you any criminal code? A.
We have OF course no laws st all, We
csn only act by general agreement. For
instance, We have agreed on q regulation
for squstter rights. It is this, If man
undertakes to hold a claim, the squstter
claim is l60 sores, he may do so, but any
one person claiming or controlling any
more than l60 acres shall forfeit both
claims to the first families coming into
the territory wanting such land. We
also adopted resolution calling for an
other election to be held November s,
1887, for nine senatorial councilmen
and fourteen delegate counciImen.
We retained the name "councilmen" so
that it might not be thought we were
assuming the duties OF strictly legislo-
tive body. The territory was divided bV
the same councilmen into three Sens-
torial districts by meridian lines, aud
seven delegate districts by township
lines. That election was held on the sth
Of last month and twenty-three good
representative men elected, who met in
Beaver, December s, and are now is ses-
sion. at the same election 0. G. Chase
was chosen delegate 20 represent
the territory in the Fiftieth Congress,
and l have accordingly come to
Washington to do what l can to get ter
rltoriai government for the 10 900 people
who live in that territory. There will be
$4,000 people there next year, because if
territorial COVE rnment is organized for US
1t is anticipated that at least so 900 peo-
pie will 60 In there within another year.
GOOD BEGINNING.
Q-You have not made any attempt as
yet 70 frame q constitution, l suppose?
A.-No, sir. We took an oath that we
would support the constitution Of the
United States, and we thought that was
enough for beginning.
40 thSAO SsCAC1ol pC6SC anu SlOCA
among the 10000 people? A. Yes, sir.
So far We have been fortunate senough TO
maintain peace and good order, and our
families feel as safe there as they would
be in Washington City. We have had
horse thieve smong US who undertook to
locate there and run our horses into
Kansas and sell them. [ believe one hslf
of the horses have been stolen from the
"a Gnri0u hn lSS frE
into other states and sold.
HOW TAXES ARE RAISED.
Q. How do you raise that money !?
chants pay 50 month and the saloons
are taxed So e month each. We have dis
armed everybody except the Marshal.
We make it penal offense to carry
weapons. Mayor Thomas presides over
a council that WsS elected for Beaver IL
August.
=. What do you pay the Mayor? 4. Only
his fees. He sets as probate Judge.
Q Do you find it easy to collecc money
enough from the people TO defray the
small expenses OF government through
out your territory? A Yes, sir; they
are willing to contribute. We have q
school also, for the support of which We
q
ness men generally pay 81 a month for
that pu pose. There is an average Of
fifty scholars in Beaver. What I say of
Beaver is true with respect to the whole
territory. We very seldom hear Of o
fight anywhere in the territory between
individuals. The only crime that is likely
to be called to the notice Of the people
is the squat,ipg on too much land,
or on other peoples land. That was frat
attempted to be settled by arbitration.
Those arbitrators were selected from
neIghbors, and either party beng dissat-
isfied with their decision has an appeal
from the first arbitration bv paying SIS
into the public treasury for We srbiters,
each party selecting two and the four Sc
lecting fifth arbiter. Thst is the highest
court we have. The decision of the five
srbters is final.
Q. Has there been case on the part
against him? A. DO not think there has
been case reported. We have settled e
great many troubles.
HOW DEBTS ARE COLLECTED.
Q. How do y III collect debts, or do you
do that? a. Well, take for instance the
case of Mrs. Pockipgburgh. Size came to
sion notes TO the amount Of about 5000
sgsinst q man living In the vicinity of
Beaver for borrowed money. She saw
him several times. He sent her to the
hotel in Beaver, telling her ne would pay
her board until he raised the money for
her. Che landlord boarded her oae
week ard then refused to take this man
for the board bill. She then applied to
the citizens for redress, producing the
notes as evidence of his indt btedness
Tie ci,iz ms met and appointed sheriff,
who seized five tons of barbed wire that
the man tad just imported from the
United States and advertised it for sale.
1t was sold and the proceeds turned over
to the lady. 1t did not pay the
debt 10 full, but she, being ,sst-
isfed, gave up the notes to tie
man and returned to her home in the
states. The citizens of Beaver nfterward
received letters from people in the state
from which this man came asking for
copy Of the laws of No M.n's-Land under
which this debt was collected, on the
ground that under their laws they had
failed to collect Of this man for twenty
years.
NO USE FOR LAWYERS.
Q, Have you any lawyers in the terri
tory? A. | do not think there Is lawyer
in the territory. We have no use for
them st all.
Q. What mail facilities do you get in
No Mans Land? A There are two mails
carried from the Santa Fe road about